Program Evaluation

Running head: SCHOOL COUNSELING PROGRAM 1

School Counseling Program: An Assessment of Program Components

Albany State University

COUN 5620: Research and Program Evaluation for Counselors

Dr. C. Calder

SCHOOL COUNSELING PROGRAM 2

School Counseling Program: An Assessment of Program Components

In recent years, stakeholders have expressed a vested interest in the outcomes of school

counseling programs (Whiston, 2013). District leaders, school administrators, and many parents

want to know that children’s needs are being met. By aligning with the American School

Counseling Association’s (ASCA) National Model, a professional school counselor (PSC) can

address academic, behavioral, and personal/social needs of all students, including those from rural

areas (Arrastia-Chisholm, 2017). This work contains an evaluation of the school counseling

program of Lamar County High School (LCHS), a rural public school that serves approximately

800 students from various demographic backgrounds.

Program Mission and Vision

Mission Statement

The mission of the school counseling program of LCHS is “to provide all students with

knowledge and skills needed to overcome life’s challenges by maximizing their academic, career,

and personal/social development” (Manley & Williams, 2020). In addition, counselors help

students “reach their fullest potential as lifelong learners and productive citizens” and with “other

stakeholders, [they] help students prepare for postsecondary life in an ever-changing, diverse

world.” This statement is strong in its concise, yet thoroughly detailed style. Another strength of

this statement is its emphasis on collaboration with stakeholders in the last sentence. Regarding

the importance of this aspect of a school counseling program, Erford (2019) explains that “the

counselor is but one player in a team effort” as it takes a “collaborative partnerships with other

school personnel and community agencies” to prevent “a professional school counselor trying to

stand alone [from falling] flat on his or her face (p. 42).

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Every course in Albany State University’s school counseling program reiterates the

importance of the PSC serving as an integral part of an overall team; the Lamar County High

School Counseling Program mission statement encompasses this same essential ideal. In contrast,

the statement fails to mention the use of data. Specifically, although the statement includes the

mission to maximize development in all areas, it does not address the importance of data analysis

in achieving that goal. This is problematic as, according to the ASCA National Model

(2019), data are necessary for ensuring higher graduation rates and access to postsecondary

opportunities. Additionally, a Center for Public Education report (2011) notes that dropout

prevention programs work when PSCs “build sustained relationships with students, closely

monitor each student’s attendance and performance, intervene rapidly at the first sign of trouble,

help students and families overcome obstacles to educational success and teach students how to

solve problems” (as cited in ASCA, 2019, p. 19). In short, the data collection is essential for not

only the maximum development of students in all areas but also the effective role the PSC plays

in bringing about systemic change and serving as a student advocate.

Vision Statement

The vision statement of Lamar County High School counseling program is “that all

students will cultivate real-world understandings regarding the importance of asking for help, a

gratefulness for lessons learned through mistakes, and a determination to stand up against

injustices (Manley & Williams, 2020). To reach this goal, PSCs facilitate activities that develop

“an understanding that all people, regardless of their cultural background, personal choices, or

current status, deserve equal access to programs and resources needed to achieve their goals and

dreams.” The statement concludes with the declaration that “students will gain an interest in self-

discovery as part of finding meaning in their lives.” This statement is strongly aligned with the

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ASCA National Model (2019) in that it is succinct, future-driven, and understandable. According

to Squier, Nailor, and Carey (2014), putting such a program into place “requires well-developed

plans” that “look three to five years into the future and establish the strategic direction of the

school counseling program” (p. 17). The LCHS counseling program gives clear, detailed plans for

the future within its vision statement. It not only encompasses an overall goal with multiple sub-

goals but also covers the steps to achieve those goals.

Program Objectives  

School counselors not only assess their own mindsets and behaviors, but they also “guide

the recruitment and selection of competent school counselors” (ASCA, 2019). The objectives of

this school counseling plan remind LCHS counselors of their broad purpose. Tasks involve

activities such as collaborating with stakeholders to create networks, providing counseling

opportunities for all students, and preparing students to become productive citizens. The closing

statement presents a powerful message regarding the empowerment of students to embrace

ethical, cultural, racial, and sexual differences of others.

The task of creating a comprehensive school counseling plans is designed to change and

redefine the role of the PSC (Gysbers, & Henderson, 2012). For example, one explicit way to

make sure school counselors use their skill sets appropriately is to develop appropriate job

descriptions. Since these are often arbitrarily written without school counselor input, the

objectives section is the perfect platform for the LCHS counselors to express what they do and

believe. Since the repeated visual exposure to these objectives make them more likely to be

solidified, an effort should be made to include the LCHS counseling program objectives in the

overall school improvement plan. In support of this, according to Gysbers and Henderson (2012),

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counseling objectives should not only be in school improvement and comprehensive counseling

plans, but advisory committee meeting plans and public relations plans as well.

Program Goals

According to ASCA (2019), annual student goals identify measurable impact of the

school counseling program on student achievement, attendance, or discipline. Additionally, these

goals should be written in alignment with school improvement plan or address a subset of

students identified in the school improvement plan. The alignment is important because it

highlights the ways in which the school counseling program is valuable to the system (ASCA,

2019).

While no ASCA SMART goal template was utilized, the goals of the program are easily

identified: to increase underrepresented students enrolled in advanced placement and dual

enrollment classes by ten percent, to decrease freshmen failures by ten percent, increase parental

contacts by twenty percent, and to increase the number of students who believe they have a

trusting relationship with at least one adult in the school building by twenty percent. The fact that

all of this is to occur by the end of the school year makes these goals specific measurable,

attainable, results-oriented and time bound (S.M.A.R.T). In addition to the increase in supportive

adult supportive relationships, LCHS counseling program includes an additional short-term

SMART goal of having 75 percent of students earn four credits by the end of the first semester.

To be most effective, constructed goals, as well as chosen interventions, should also be

based on previously established data. The goals of this program were set based on information

obtained through a survey administered at the beginning of the school year and based on records

from the previous school term. A subset of 125 students were identified for the Trojan tutoring

program after collecting data during the first three weeks of school. Students were also identified

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for counseling lessons about study skills. The effectives of the interventions for meeting the goals

are measured through surveys and Likert scales administered throughout the year. Internal data

found in grading and attendance databases are also used to measure increases in enrollment and

decreases in failing grades.

Overall, even though the program meets the ASCA standards for program goal setting,

using the ASCA Student Outcome Goal Plan Template (2019) would improve the structure.

Making this change would make it easier for evaluators to locate specific parts of the plan and to

ensure that all elements are addressed. Furthermore, for this same reason, the school improvement

plan should also be added in the goals section of the comprehensive school counseling plan. An

additional benefit of reformatting these components would be that PSCs could more easily justify

the plan for administrative approval.

Program Activities

LCHS counselors provide both direct and indirect services. (See Figure 1.)

Type Area Percentage

Direct Services Core Curriculum 15%

Individual Planning 30%

Responsive Services 10%

Indirect Services for Students Referrals, Consultation, Collaboration 25%

Program Planning & School Support Domains of the ASCA National Model 20%

Figure 1. LCHS Types of Services

The activities as described align with the ASCA National Model and are an effective tool in

conducting a comprehensive school counseling program. However, the plan fails to mention what

is and is not a duty of the PSC. In the text, Developing and Managing Your School Counseling

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Program, Gyspers and Henderson (2012) assert that counselors with their evaluators should

collaboratively construct the counselor’s job description as doing so “provides a way to use the

different skills that individual staff members bring to the comprehensive program and helps them

to know what each is accountable for,” especially since “role statements and job descriptions

clarify what counselors do on their jobs (p 286). In fact, because of the high rate of PSC burnout

resulting from large caseloads along with counselors performing inappropriate tasks for their

assigned title, the ASCA National Model (2019) contains a comprehensive list of appropriate

duties for PSCs. To ensure there are no blurred lines, this should be conveyed to all stakeholders

through various and appropriate means.

Program Alignment to ASCA National Standards

The comprehensive school counseling plan is used as a contract of duties between

counselors and administrators, as an evaluation tool for continued improvement, and as

documentation of counselor activities. The most impactful use is the evaluation tool; the most

important is the contract of duties. In other words, developing and following a strong plan results

in a positive evaluation at the end of the year. According to the ASCA National Model (2019), the

essential components to a comprehensive plan include design, data informed annual goals, data-

informed activities and interventions, calendars, and collection and analysis of data.

Design of Comprehensive School Counseling Program

The design of Lamar County High School’s counseling program follows ASCA’s

framework as it begins with a solid foundation of mission, vision, and philosophy statements that

reflect the mindset standards required of counselors. Additionally, the time template used reflects

the recommendations of 80 percent direct services to students and 20 percent indirect services.

Although the student-to-teacher ratio does not meet recommendations, the counselors’ caseloads

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reflect a research-based philosophical decision. Specifically, the rationale of assigning students by

alphabet places an emphasis on family context (Gysbers & Henderson, 2012). By serving all

students with the same last names each year, counselors gain insight into multiple students within

the same immediate and/or extended families.

Data-Informed Annual Goals

The ASCA National Model (2019) states that the comprehensive school counseling plan

should be implemented at the start of the year, and that it should be driven by data. For LCHS,

meeting these requirements means beginning with an annual assessment taken by all students to

identify their needs. To establish the plan’s credibility, identified needs are used to construct goals

based on the previous school year’s records.

Data-Informed Interventions

Not only do the school counselors use assessment tools and previous records, but before

implementing interventions, such as the one focused on tutoring, they also collect data. For

example, after collecting data for three weeks for the tutoring intervention, they then identified

125 ninth grade students for whom the services would be beneficial. This intervention was

directly linked to the annual goals of reducing the failure rate by 10 percent and having 75 percent

of freshmen pass all four classes. To guide the plan, the counselors used ASCA’s closing the gap

action plan template to ensure standards were also aligned with the ASCA framework.

In this same intervention, the small group action plan identified the same students for

virtual small group lessons. However, for practical purposes, a smaller group would have been

more beneficial. Even for virtual lessons, groups should have between 8 and 12 individuals. For

the two counselors, this would mean serving a possible 24 of the students most in need of the

intervention. Having a smaller group would also support the transference of knowledge gained in

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the group to the classroom setting (Pai, Sears, & Maeda, 2015). Once post-intervention data are

available, the school counselors should collaborate with the advisory team to determine the best

strategy for moving forward.

Master Calendars

Calendars are important insofar as they establish the school counselor’s use of time and

serve as a contract of assigned duties. In fact, including calendars in the comprehensive plan

serves as evidence for administrators that school counselors do not need arbitrarily assigned tasks

as they have counselor-related duties to fulfill. The counselors of Lamar County have included

annual and weekly calendars filled with assigned duties. All activities on the calendar meet the

standards established by ASCA, and the percentage of time spent providing direct and indirect

services also reflects ASCA’s framework.

In addition to school and district leadership, parents and other stakeholders have a vested

interest in the school counseling program’s activities. For this reason, ASCA (2019) recommends

publicizing counseling calendars. By adding this to the LCHS established program, school

counselors could provide up-to-date access to information about college nights, field trips, and

advisory team meetings. This would provide stakeholders time to make arrangements to be

present, and for those unable to attend advisory meetings, the use of an online calendar would

give time for relaying concerns to other team members prior to the meeting.

Data Collection and Analysis

Throughout the plan the counselors collect data through a variety of assessments. After

analysis, the results of interventions identified through pre- and posttests are used to confirm

success in achieving their goals. For other activities, simple checklists are used to assess

participation, and Google Forms with Likert scales provided instant feedback. LCHS also uses the

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school information system’s grading database to assess academic achievement. For this past year,

school counselors used these tools to determine if their efforts resulted in an increase in parental

contact and/or an increase in the number of students being able to identify a trusted adult in the

building.

As expected, annual assessments are given to students and stakeholders at the beginning

of the year to assess needs, which is in congruence with the ASCA National Model (2019).

However, an annual assessment can also be administered at the end of the year to measure

perception data. By using end-of-the-year data along with initial assessment data, school

counselors at LCHS can increase the positive perception of their program and obtain data vital for

improving the following school year’s plan.

Program Alignment to ASCA National Model

According to the American School Counselor Association (2019), a school counseling

program fulfills the school’s mission and goals through data-driven decisions, varied services,

and effective practices. The PSC improves academic achievement and personal growth as a

school leader. Furthermore, using the ASCA National Model’s four domains—foundation,

management, delivery, and accountability—as a framework enables PSCs to advocate for change

that results in success for all learners (ASCA, 2019).

Foundation

At LCHS, members of administration, faculty, and staff as well as parents and

students and other stakeholders worked together to develop mission, vision, philosophy, and

belief statements to address their students’ diverse backgrounds and complex needs. First, school

counselors administered needs assessment surveys to identify key strengths and

weaknesses. Then, they used the results to create measurable and attainable goals—an important

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task for ensuring the goals can be realized (Gysbers & Henderson, 2012). For example, the

desired outcome of a student survey was to raise awareness of students’ needs so that procedures

and resources could be put into place to alleviate current problems. As intended, the results

brought about empathetic responses as administrators, faculty, and staff acknowledged the

emotional and mental effects of the ongoing pandemic.

Management

By discovering, acknowledging, and understanding the challenges students

face, PSCs promote policy and procedural changes to improve academic and behavioral

experiences for all learners (ASCA, 2019). At the start of the program’s implementation, an

attempt was made to establish an agreement between the principal and counselors. Although the

principal deemed the agreement unnecessary, he did acknowledge that 80% of PSCs’ time should

be spent providing direct services and agreed to support the establishment of a formal school

counseling program’s advisory council.

Additionally, data were used to develop action plans to address an established goal: to

increase the percentage of ninth-grade virtual learners earning a minimum of four credits. Several

actions were taken to ensure that services would address these and other students’ academic,

behavioral, and personal/social needs. First, high school counselors met with the middle school

counselor to collect, review, and align resources. Then, using the school-based calendar that

included testing and other events, they created a master counseling calendar. Next, one of

the PSCs developed a counseling website so that all teacher advisors would have access

to identical resources; the website’s design contains organized resources that address areas such

as academic attainment, college/career planning, and mental/emotional health. School counselors

established varied methods by which students could request assistance with postsecondary

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planning by placing notes in the provided drop box, personal/emotional counseling by emailing

counselors from their school-issued accounts, or responsive services by coming to the office.

Delivery

Direct delivery services include meeting with students in grade-level assemblies and

individual classrooms during which school counselors address specific concepts for the entire

student population (e.g., bullying, self-esteem, study habits) as well as topics pertaining to

specific grade levels (e.g., transitioning into high school, preparing for standardized tests,

completing the FAFSA). Small group sessions are formed to provide academic as well as mental,

emotional, and social supports; these groups serve to address specific issues that surface as well

as to meet school counseling goals. Counselors conduct one-on-one sessions with students

according to their needs.

Indirect delivery services involve activities that support student growth through

interactions with other individuals. Examples of indirect services include serving as a Positive

Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) data analyst, coordinating process for Multi-

Tiered System of Supports (MTSS), and facilitating teacher-student conferences. Moreover,

responsive services include working with the district’s social worker to provide support for at-risk

and homeless individuals and making referrals when needed to outside agencies.

Accountability

The LCHS program aligns with the ASCA National Model’s Accountability domain in

several ways. First, PSCs have begun implementing ways to analyze their use of time

and program results. Although the pandemic that resulted in students’ transitioning to virtual or

remote learning, plans and resources exist for future analysis of the curriculum. Similarly,

an examination of the program’s goals will also include a review of gaps in achievement on

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standardized tests. In addition to identifying the program’s strengths and weaknesses and setting

goals for improvement, counselors will engage in self-reflection and receive feedback from

administrators. The results of these assessments will be shared with stakeholders.

Program Evaluation Methodology

The ASCA National Model provides a framework for auditing school counseling

program (ASCA, 2019). Unfortunately, although such evaluations have been shown to define the

responsibilities of PSCs and increase student success (Sherwood, 2010), conducting a thorough

analysis can be difficult. For example, since the model contains four interrelated domains,

elements of the program can appear to exist in one area but not in another (Martin & Carey,

2014). Also, PSCs recognize that the implementation of the model leads academic and personal

achievement; however, holding a school counseling program to certain standards assumes that the

counselors have the necessary resources and stakeholder support they need to reach their goals

(Martin & Carey, 2014).

Importantly, results of research (Studer et al., 2011) conducted with 53 PSCs from schools

similar to LCHS showed that counseling programs typically show growth only after having five

to six years of consistent activities and practices. Thus, those analyzing this school’s PSC,

program, and results must understand that LCHS is in its second year of implementation. For this

reason, this evaluation also assesses the level of stakeholder support, including district and school

leadership.

Program Strengths and Weaknesses

Even though evaluating school counseling program can be difficult, (Martin & Carey,

2014), thorough analysis can lead to change, and change can lead to improvement. The ASCA

National Model District Readiness Survey Readiness Indicators by Cluster (Carey et al., 2005)

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provides a framework for such analysis. The tool organizes the domains into several areas within

three categories: external factors (i.e., community support, leadership, and resources), program

details (i.e., guidance curriculum, staffing, and time use), and counselor traits (i.e., beliefs,

attitudes, and skills).

External Factors

At LCHS, data have been collected regarding parental and community involvement, and

the results show an increase in attendance to school-related activities outside the realm of athletic

events. Furthermore, community partners, including the Kiwanis and Rotary Clubs and several

postsecondary institutions, provide financial support and academic resources. At the district level,

leaders have not demonstrated a belief that PSCs are a vital part of student achievement; in fact,

funding has consistently decreased compared to that of similar programs. Additionally, there are

no established instruments for school counseling program assessments, and previously-held

support meetings for the five school counselors were cancelled in 2019. Finally, although school

administrators believe that counselors should be involved in activities, these leaders do not

demonstrate an understanding of how the school counseling program supports the school’s or

district’s mission.

Program Details

For the past two years, school counselors have instituted practices that align with

the ASCA National Model (2019). Though previously nonexistent, the guidance curriculum was

developed to address students’ needs in a variety of formats. Teacher advisors were reassigned

based on their personal skills, and detailed, evidence-based plans were provided to ensure for use

in advisement sessions. These lessons also include learning objectives that align with state and

local standards and address areas identified in needs-assessments surveys. Unfortunately,

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advisement sessions were postponed during the current global pandemic in order to remain

socially distanced.

Although the counseling department had a private suite before the new building was

constructed, they are now housed on a hallway with limited access to students. However, the

move did increase their proximity to others who are supportive. Every effort is made to provide

direct services at least 80% of the school day; unfortunately, counselors are often interrupted and

assigned non-related duties, such as calculating students’ grade point averages. Additionally, they

struggle to spend adequate time on preventative measures, which means that their work does not

always align with students’ needs.

Counselor Traits

At the start of the 2020-2021 school year, one of the school counselors quit after three

weeks. A district leader made the decision was made to move a counselor to the high school

because of ongoing professional issues at her previous location. However, they work to

close achievement gaps and advocate for underserved populations. Based on the program’s

mission and vision statements, school counselors at LCHS hold beliefs that demonstrate

multicultural competency. Furthermore, both are familiar with ASCA’s national standards, and

both are recognized as leaders within the school. Areas of growth include learning to measure

intervention outcomes, and for the newest counselor, learning to use the school’s information

system, to ensure students meet high school graduation requirements, and to balance time spent

with individual students.

Limitations

In addition to a review of school counseling program as described in various LCHS

resources, more qualitative and quantitative data are needed to assess the program’s results.

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However, because program was established just prior to the ongoing pandemic, few data are

available at the time of this evaluation. Future analysis of process, perception, and outcome data

will support effective practices and identify needs improvement areas.

Conclusion

Like most rural high schools, the school counseling program at LCHS implements the

ASCA National Model successfully in some areas and ineffectively in others. With a strong

vision and mission statement as well as beliefs and practices aligned with the model, however,

areas for improvement can be identified and used to create future program goals. Only then, and

with the collaborative efforts of all stakeholders, can systemic change be achieved and

maintained.

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References

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Carey, J., Harrity, J., & Dimmit, C. (2005). The development of a self-assessment instrument

to measure a school district’s readiness to implement the ASCA National

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Erford, B. T. (2019). Transforming the school counseling profession. NY, NY: Pearson.

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Pai, H.-H., Sears, D., & Maeda, Y. (2015). Effects of small-group learning on transfer: a Meta-

analysis. Educational Psychology Review, 27(1), 79–102. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-

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Studer, J. R., Diambra, J. F., Breckner, J. A., & Heidel, R. E. (2011). Obstacles and successes in

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